The Grey Muzzle Organization has awarded a grant to Emancipet ensuring more older dogs in our community receive the love, comfort, and medical care they need in their golden years.
Emancipet is honored to be one of just 119 animal welfare groups selected nationwide—from a highly competitive pool of 440 applicants—to receive funding aimed at supporting senior dogs and the families who cherish them. This year, Grey Muzzle is distributing over $1.57 million in grants to organizations across the country, all working toward a shared mission: giving at-risk senior dogs the second chances they so deeply deserve.
In 2024 alone, Emancipet provided care to nearly 250,000 pets—including over 33,000 senior dogs—through high-quality, low-or no-cost services.
“This grant will provide essential veterinary and dental care for senior dogs at Emancipet. As an example of how impactful low-cost, high-quality dental procedures can be, we only have to look as far as our patients,” said Cheryl Katon, Emancipet’s CEO. “One such patient was Morgan, a ten-year-old Pomeranian mix, suffering from severe dental pain. Stacy, Morgan’s human, found herself facing a significant challenge when trying to afford this necessary medical care:
‘The vet visit alone was $200 for this, they quoted me $1,300 for the dental procedure that Morgan needed. …[Emancipet’s] services were a gift from God for us! I visited the Emancipet website for information on dental care and found that I just needed to get her dental evaluation through one of your clinics for a referral to the Austin Dental and Surgical Center. …This was sooo very important and helpful to us. I knew Morgan was suffering from dental pain and without this blessing I couldn’t have helped her.’
With support from The Grey Muzzle Organization, Emancipet will expand its ability to deliver affordable dental care and other critical veterinary services to senior dogs like Morgan. This grant will help ensure more aging pets stay healthy and comfortable, regardless of their owners’ financial means, strengthening the lifelong bonds between people and the pets they love.”
“If 50 is the new 30 for humans, why not for our older best friends?” asks Denise Fleck, Executive Director of The Grey Muzzle Organization. “Senior dogs have so much love left to give, yet they’re often the last to be adopted and the first at risk when shelters run out of space. Our grants help change that by funding medical and dental care, adoption and foster programs, hospice support, and services that help keep senior dogs in the homes they love. These resources give thousands of older dogs a second chance to shine!”
Over the past 17 years, The Grey Muzzle Organization has given more than $7.2 million in grants to animal welfare organizations across the country. Through a growing network of dedicated grantees, we’re working toward a shared vision: A time when every senior dog finds safety, love, and a soft landing.
At Emancipet, we operate a network of low-cost, nonprofit clinics, providing everything from essential vaccines and annual exams to spay/neuter surgeries and treatment for various ailments, including more complex surgical and dental procedures. Our dedicated team of licensed veterinarians and skilled technicians works to keep pets healthy and strengthen the bond they share with their humans.
This investment from The Grey Muzzle Organization will help us provide critical, low-cost care to more senior dogs, ensuring that financial limitations don’t stand in the way of essential veterinary care. We are thankful for their belief in our mission and their commitment to creating a healthier world for pets and their people.
Together, we’re making a real difference in the lives of pets and the people who love them!
